'Jack Flash' invades from Oregon

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Stately Jack Flash, who was fifth in the Oregon Derby at Portland Meadows in his most recent start, will take on four other 3-year-olds in a $35,000 claiming race at Hastings on Sunday. It's hard to dismiss the chances of any of the five starters in the 6 1/2-furlong sprint.

Stately Jack Flash is the lone stakes winner in the field, but he's never raced outside of Oregon and it's not easy to determine how stakes horses at Portland Meadows measure up with high-priced claimers at Hastings. The 70 Beyer Figure Stately Jack Flash earned when he won the six-furlong Columbia River Stakes is the second best in the field, and if you throw out his middle-distance attempts, he looks like he fits here.

He's won three of his five sprints and finished second in two stakes. Since arriving at Hastings he's had a couple of solid works and figures to be on or near the lead in Sunday's race.

Stately Jack Flash will be making his first start for trainer Henry Miller Jr. Felipe Valdez rides.

The pace will likely be contested by Devil in the Sky, Baron's Rank, and Stately Jack Flash. That should help the chances of Archetype, who made a nice move into a very slow pace to just miss behind Baron's Rank at this level April 27.

Archetype, who is trained by Daryl Snow, was claimed for $12,500 at Golden Gate Feb. 5. He ran once more, going unplaced in a nonwinners of two allowance race on the turf Feb. 21, before shipping up to Hastings in March. A smallish colt, Archetype looks suited by the five-furlong Hastings oval, and figures to get a ground-saving trip from along the rail. Pedro Alvarado rides.